Adobe targets FCP & Avid users with 'Switcher Program'

July 1, 2011

SAN JOSE, CA — Adobe is looking to capitalize on the rumblings created by the latest release of Apple’s Final Cut Pro X with its new "Switcher Program," which offers 50 percent savings on CS5.5 products to users of Avid and Apple editing tools.

Adobe calls the plan the “Switcher Program.”

“We’re hearing from video professionals that they want pro level tools that address cutting edge work but also allow them to use legacy footage and workflows,” explains Adobe’s GM/VP of professional video and audio Jim Guerard. “At Adobe we’ve been in the trenches with video pros for years and with Adobe Premiere Pro CS5.5 and CS5.5 Production Premium we’ve delivered professional-grade tools that are already being battle-tested by some of the most innovative filmmakers, broadcasters and video pros.”

Premiere Pro CS5.5 offers a toolset that is native 64-bit and optimized for multicore systems. It is GPU-accelerated to provide realtime effects, color correction/color grading, accelerated rendering and multilayer performance. Pros can also use all the system resources on modern Macs with Thunderbolt, 64-bit, and multicore CPUs for increased performance.

Premiere Pro CS5.5 eliminates the need to transcode or rewrap file based and DSLR footage. Editors can also leverage Adobe’s After Effects and Photoshop software to easily integrate visual effects and still imagery into their workflows.

For customers who use other editing programs, Premiere Pro CS5.5 includes Final Cut Pro project import and export, so projects can be shared between both applications without conversion or re-rendering. CS5.5 also includes many Final Cut Pro and Avid keyboard shortcuts to help users get up and running fast.